If you’re looking for prime pop punk or rock music, most people think of Green Day or Fall Out Boy. They think of strong guitar and poignant but rebellious lyrics intertwining all while the drum beats at one-hundred miles an hour. Often, they forget Good Charlotte, a band whose rise to fame was sudden and grabbed the attention of everyone in 2002. Like many early punk bands, Good Charlotte was formed by a few teenage kids trying to find an outlet. Soon, this Baltimore suburbs band was playing in Washington, D.C. and the big stage.
Good Morning Revival was a definite peak; most people don’t know they created an album afterwards. What they accomplished on this album was enough to push them to greater fame in mainstream music. They held onto their roots but had evolved to fit with the times. After all, they had been influenced by ‘90s bands, and this album was released in 2007. Although they attempted to assimilate, this did not bode well for the songs released on their follow-up album.
I’m still not sure what pushes bands to create songs that last less than one minute and have interspersing and indiscernible words. They serve no purpose to the album and augment it in anyway. It’s a technique utilized by small indie bands to Panic! at the Disco. In this album it comes in the form of the first “song” (if you want to call it that) “Good Morning Revival.” It’s never a good precursor to an album you want to be a success. What follows is “Misery,” a song that is old-fashioned punk both in the sound and in the lyrics. It seems to be one of the most original sounding on this album and even has a guitar solo. “All Black” has a similar message and tone, but definitely not one of my favorites. The repetition of the words “all black” can become tiresome at times.
The consistency of good singing throughout this album does not waver with the exception of a few songs. Although no complex harmonies or display of an extensive vocal range, the singing is kept safe. “The River” is a excellent indicator of this, showing off heavy guitar but balancing it enough that it doesn’t overpower the singing but rather gives it a boost. Simplicity is a big thing with Good Charlotte on this album and it comes through on every song. Not too innovative but enough to get it through to their fans and likeable enough – this seems to be the mantra for Good Morning Revival.
Arguably one of the bands most iconic songs and certainly the most popular is “Dance Floor Anthem.” It’s catchy and as an infectious beat, and the lyrics are some of the most thoughtful. It tells a story of heartbreak and misery extremely well, even though we do see a shift in style here. It conveys to use how pop the band is turning, and exactly ten years later we have seen them release another album. Who knows, maybe they’ll create another album to push them back to the music scene?
Good Charlotte is a solid band who created a solid album that made its way into mainstream culture and holds closely their punk roots. It’s surprising how positively the public received it, but it was luckily given its due time in the spotlight.
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